


Arminius Doubted

by fandomthoughts



Category: Barbarians (TV 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Ancient History, Ancient Rome, Betrayal, Slavery, The Eagle of the Ninth fans should watch this show seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-09
Updated: 2020-11-09
Packaged: 2021-03-09 11:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27469957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomthoughts/pseuds/fandomthoughts
Summary: Pelagios convinces Varus to doubt Arminius again. The rout isn’t definite at all. Everyone survives, because the battle isn’t over yet.
Relationships: Hermann der Cherusker | Arminius of the Cherusci/Thusnelda (Barbarians Rising)
Kudos: 12





	Arminius Doubted

“I hope they kill each other --” Pelagios caught the barbarian woman whispering fiercely as he walked into the tent with Arminius’ gift. He pretended that he hadn’t heard. 

It was often very shocking what barbarians thought they could get away with under Roman tents, under the nose of a slave. Maybe the barbarians’ slaves only did manual labor, but Pelagios was a scribe and a scholar, and he knew four languages. 

“This is Pelagios, the interpreter,” Arminius said loudly. He didn’t meet Pelagios’ eyes. 

Pelagios stared openly at Arminius and his new wife, savoring his power for a moment. Then he let it slide. He had no real power here, not over his master’s favored adopted son. Let Arminius deal with his rebellious barbarian wife in time; Pelagios had no place in this scene.

They made a handsome couple, although the woman was not very good at hiding the hostility on her face.

As Pelagios listened to Varus present to Arminius the emperor’s knighthood and sing the praises of his son, he squashed that small flame of unbecoming jealousy as well. Pelagios was born a slave, but had served Varus faithfully for over twenty years; Arminius was barbarian-born and had been his adopted son for less. But what mattered the faithfulness of a slave? Pelagios would like to think he had his master’s respect, or at least a shared sense of humor, but at the end of the day he was nothing more than a tool. 

Pelagios greatest hopes were to serve the governor well and be rewarded in time -- perhaps become a freedman in old age, as had happened with Tertius, one of his old teachers. He had no path to citizenship and no right to marry.

***

Later, it was pure accident -- or maybe the will of one of the goddesses -- that caused him to look towards the slave pens on his way back from delivering a message to the quartermaster. 

Arminius in his red cape, talking to the slaves. 

What had been a laughable thought in the tent of officers earlier in the day now made him shudder. Was there some truth to Segestes’ claim about… Folkswin Wolfspeer? Maybe Arminius was interrogating the slaves to see who had started the rumor. 

The interrogation -- if it were that -- didn’t seem to last very long. Pelagios cautiously made his way toward the group of slaves. One of the slaves, a healthy-looking blonde man who still looked like a warrior, was visibly agitated and pacing; the rest were staring at him. “Are you sure he’s still your friend?” one of the slaves blurted, just as Pelagios neared hearing distance. Pelagios’ feet stilled. He turned away.

***

“Dominus.” 

It was not easy to start a conversation with his master. Varus preferred to give orders, not listen to entreaties. 

Varus looked up sharply, and Pelagios forced himself to quickly continue. “You asked me to report to you any… activity I overheard from other slaves in the camp. I -- ”

Damn it, usually he was more eloquent. “One of them called Arminius a friend.”

**Author's Note:**

> In my mind, Ari (Arminius) was taken as hostage when he was eight; he is now twenty-five. Pelagios is thirty four. 
> 
> I love all these characters so much even though they hate each other ;_;
> 
> Written initially from the POV of Pelagios, since I was fascinated by his character -- a slave/scholar/scribe, yet he seems to rejoice in pronouncing harsh sentences on the German tribes and definitely thinks he's above less educated barbarian men like Segestes. 
> 
> If anyone wants to fangir- er, dicsuss the show with me and the burgeoning fandom, please add me on fandomthoughtsblog.tumblr.com.


End file.
